Mavericks' sneaky move just gave them what they desperately craved

The NBA is all about the right fit and the right opportunity at the right time.

And the Dallas Mavericks are affording forward Tyler Smith the opportunity to make his NBA dream a reality once again by signing him to a two-way contract this past weekend.

Smith's versatility fits the Mavericks' roster needs

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward is eager to prove that his 3-and-D skill set is just what the Mavericks need to finish their season strong and build for the future around Cooper Flagg.

Smith averaged 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 19 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on 50.9 percent shooting in the G League this season. The talent is there. And if you ask Smith, so is the belief.

"I’m a three-point shooter, a versatile defender,” Smith said. “That’s one thing I worked on in the G League with the RGV Vipers — showing that I can switch one through five. Just being versatile, helping on the boards, and doing what I can."

Bucks veterans helped Smith learn professionalism early in his career

Smith credits his ability to get meaningful reps in the G League for helping him craft a well-rounded skillset on the court.

However, he also acknowledges that his time spent with veteran players in Milwaukee (his first stint in the league) helped him to mature at a quicker pace.

“We had an older team — those guys helped me a lot, especially in training camp,” Smith said. “I had a pretty good training camp. Just following those guys around and seeing what they do — it was good.”

Smith quickly learned how fragile an NBA career can be

Smith has learned very quickly how things can change in an NBA career. He was drafted 33rd overall in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and then was subsequently waived by the Bucks in October of 2025.

He signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets in December 2025, but was quickly waived in early January 2026 without playing a game for them. From there, he embarked upon a basketball odyssey known to many NBA journeymen, hoping to find the right opportunity.

But Smith is feeling optimistic about his chances of latching on to the Mavericks for the long term. 

“Blessed,” said Smith about his new opportunity with the Mavericks. “Just to get another opportunity and being thankful for it.”

The Mavericks plan to give Smith a real chance to prove he belongs

The Mavericks are in full tanking mode, dealing with a myriad of injuries on their roster. Kyrie Irving (ACL) and Derek Lively II (foot) are out for the season, while key contributors like Cooper Flagg (foot) and Marvin Bagley III (neck) are day-to-day as they recover from their injuries.

This leaves the door open for Smith to put his best foot forward as he hits the ground running with his new team. Showing that he can spread the floor with timely shooting from deep and being interchangeable on defense is exactly what the Mavs are looking for. And Smith seems eager to do just that based on what he’s hearing from Mavs head coach Jason Kidd.

“He said we’re going to begin the games a little bit, especially toward the end of the season,” said Smith. “Just be ready and keep watching what’s going on in the games so that when we get in, we know what we’re doing.”

Smith knows he can’t take this type of opportunity for granted. But he’s eager to show that he’s grown considerably as a player in his second stint in the league.

“This is my second chance — just show growth, show I got better, show what I know and what I’m doing now,” Smith explained.